Few moments capture attention quite as well as the latest in the perennially changing climate that defines American politics-between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, this time over the MAGA movement. During a Zoom call tailored for Latino voters, Biden made comments many would later find disparaging toward those who support Trump; this was swiftly and loudly batted back by Trump and his surrogates, most importantly Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Context of Biden’s comments
On October 30, 2024, President Biden was reacting to comments a comedian named Tony Hinchcliffe made at a Trump rally in New York. Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Biden fired back, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.” Those in attendance appeared to interpret the remark as one condemning the hate speech that has become synonymous with Trump’s base. But the wording immediately triggered an uproar among Republicans, who seized on it as an opportunity to portray Biden’s remarks as an attack on all MAGA supporters.
Biden’s comments came at a precarious juncture in the election cycle, as both political parties are elbowing for the favor of Latino voters. A White House aide later said that Biden was denigrating the hate-filled comments at the rally, not Trump supporters, period. By that time, however, the damage had been done, and the storyline flipped to Trump’s favor.
Rubio’s response at Trump’s rally
On stage at a rally in Allentown, Pa., within hours of Biden’s remarks going viral, Sen. Marco Rubio made sure to address the controversy directly. “Just moments ago, Joe Biden called our supporters garbage,” Rubio told attendees of the rally, who promptly booed and jeered. Rubio said Biden’s words were not only an insult to Trump, but also to average Americans who work hard and love their country.
Rubío’s framing of Biden’s comment-an attack on Border Patrol agents, nurses, and teachers proved fertile ground. Rubio rallied for an apology from Biden: “We are patriots who love our country.” And there you had it, in that real moment-at once recognizable in how fast the most stark political rhetoric can be reduced to a rallying cry.
Trump’s response: A familiar playbook
Former President Trump was never not going to chime in on Biden’s comments in a heartbeat. As Rubio announced, Trump responded with characteristic panache: “Wow, that’s awful. That’s what it says,” likening Biden’s remark to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” comment from the 2016 election.
By comparing it to a situation involving the Democrats in the past, Trump reminded people of past missteps of the Democrats in a way that engrained his version of events: that Democrats “look down” on working-class Americans. He went further to say that Biden’s words were worse than Clinton’s; they were worse because they implied a more profound contempt for his supporters.
Trump made the very same effort by trying to swat down criticism of Hinchcliffe’s original remarks about Puerto Rico during his comments, saying he was unaware of the remarks and that they were unimportant. But in effect, he passed the torch right back to Biden’s gaffe and made hay of it as fodder for his campaign narrative.
The political fallout
Consequences of this incident underpin the stark polarization in American politics today. Republicans immediately rallied around Trump’s portrayal of Biden’s remarks as proof of Democratic elitism and disdain for the ordinary American. Reactions went into overdrive on social media platforms, as the MAGA supporters felt vindicated by Biden’s words-to the wider world, a gift to Trump’s campaign with crucial elections only days away.
What the pundits in turn said was that these moments create a great difference in the minds of the electorate. This incident has been framed as turning points in how undecided voters might view both candidates. Going into November, with polls showing a dead heat, either side could dramatically turn the tide with just one misstep.
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